


Pathfound

by littlebluetiefling



Series: Andromeda Oneshots [2]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Love Confessions, awkward sara, because awkward sara is the best sara, i just, really love them, you can fight me on this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-18 20:12:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10624299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlebluetiefling/pseuds/littlebluetiefling
Summary: Sara's feelings for Pathfinder Zevin Raeka are more than platonic and she'd been having a hard time dealing with them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I saw this art (http://asketchbookthing.tumblr.com/post/159553722014) by asketchbookthing over on tumblr and I died. Like I'm pretty sure I'm actually dead.  
> Anyway because of that this has been on my mind. So here.  
> (Constructive criticism always welcome I really want to get better with writing since its something I want to persue)  
> (Also there's most likely OOC 'specially with Raeka since I haven't spent enough time with her to get a feel for her personality)  
> Also maaan do I suck at blurbs.

The Nexus seemed busy today. More Salarians were around than the last time she was here. A few more Asari too.

She'd just recovered the Asari ark, the Salarian ark had been back for a short while. Of course the Turian Ark was still out there, but things were looking up. Slowly but surely it seemed everything was slotting into place.

People seemed joyous. Happy. Excited, even. The Asari were grateful. Some Angara were standing around amazed.

A few people stopped her on her way to operations, to thank her or ask her a question about the world, her job, anything. Some people just wanted a way to make it all seem real. Sara was happy to comply, for she understood completely the shock of waking up to a disaster, even if the disaster was slowly but surely getting better.

Well, they still had a long way to go yet. The Archon was still a threat and the cluster still not perfect for settlement. They'd get there though, eventually. She and Pathfinder Raeka had been working hard to ensure that this galaxy would be inhabitable. And now Sarissa had been added into the mix, too. They would all fight to their last breath if they had too. Whatever the cost.

The thought of Pathfinder Raeka brought Sara to another problem she was facing: She was undeniably falling for her. Despite the fact that she knew it was pointless, despite the fact that she knew Salarian's had a short lifespan and she wouldn't get that long with Raeka even if the feelings were returned (which she found no evidence of them being so) she couldn't help it. Stepping onto the tram that'd lead her to operations, Sara felt herself sigh and sink into a seat. Her thoughts, once again, were filled with Raeka.

Raeka was strong, confident and brave. The way she cared about her people, the way she fought so passionately for them had made Sara respect her and see her with such awe that she hadn't even noticed when her respect started changing. That is, until the nightmares she used to have started to be replaced with little snippets of dreams featuring her and Raeka. A stolen kiss, a stroll down a street she vaguely remembered from a visit to Earth, eating dinner in her Quarters. Small romantic gestures played through her mind constantly. And once Sara had noticed her growing affections, they became very hard to ignore. She'd spot something and wonder if Raeka would like it. She'd see the colour orange and think of Raeka's armour.

Hell, at one point she'd coloured her own armour orange and blue mindlessly. It wasn't until Cora pointed out how she looked like Raeka with those colours that she'd realised what she'd done.

So yes, Sara was definitely falling for her. Hard.

Raeka was rarely around Pathfinder quarters when Sara was. Both were often rather busy, and rarely got the chance to just chat. Though, before she'd realised the extent of her feelings for Raeka, Sara had snagged quite a few conversations with her when her timing was right. Quite often they spoke over comms too. Mostly about work, though sometimes those conversations could slip into personal life. Those little chats had started to fuel Sara. Then she'd realised how much she liked her, and slowly their interactions had changed. Sure, they still talked, but Sara got more awkward and nervous when not talking about work. It was also a lot easier to talk to her over comms than in person. Still, Sara was going just a little bit crazy over the Salarian pathfinder. Getting more distracted, more lost in her thoughts.

The first one who'd noticed Sara's distraction, aside from SAM, had been Gil. Apparently, his poker abilities had another purpose too.  Lexi had noticed once she'd managed to drag Sara in to talk with her - something Sara constantly tried to avoid.

Soon they had all been wondering why the pathfinder was so distracted - and when Cora finally put it all into place they had teased her for a solid two weeks. Gil had made a joke, something about Sara being a pathfinder so she should 'Pathfind a way to her heart'. Sara didn't speak to him until the next time she set the Nomad on fire (which in her defence had been because of a Kett ambush and not her driving skills). Though, everyone else quickly picked up on the joke after too. While impractical, Sara did consider just ignoring them all. Sadly, her duties required her to talk to them.

Didn't mean that she'd act happy when she did.

So no, Sara hadn't been thrilled when her team had found out. Especially not after Kallo came and gave her the Salarian 'talk'. (Sara had to quickly assure him that her feelings were purely romantic and she honestly wasn't looking for something sexual.)

In the end, everyone had toned the teasing down and told her to simply tell the Salarian pathfinder how she felt. As if that'd be easy. Even Kallo, who said that he'd support her whether Raeka returned the feelings or not, was encouraging it. As he'd said, Salarian society just never really considered romantic love, mostly due to their population differences, but it was possible.

Since then, every time Sara spoke to Raeka she'd been more awkward or stand-offish. The human pathfinder, the woman who spent the better part of her days murdering hordes of Kett and facing fiends one on one, was terrified and nervous of speaking to a colleague. She'd practically been avoiding her in a way, avoiding talk of anything personal and sticking to the basic work talk, cutting short their talks over the comms and practically running away whenever she physically saw her. Her team finding out had probably been the worst thing that could have happened because now Sara felt vulnerable and far worse about the situation.

The tram finally came to a stop and Sara sucked in a breath of strength, hoping Raeka wouldn’t be around. But also, secretly, hoping she would be.

Stepping off, she walked into Operations. As it often was, operations was bustling and everyone there seemed frantically busy. There were people rushing about, reports coming in, updates and missions and information seemed to be flying everywhere. Reports on outposts, on the Kett, on the Roekaar and the exiles, the collective and the outcasts and the scavengers, and the resistance, and the remnant. Apex teams going off on missions or just coming back from them. Police shouting at a turian who was clearly drunk.

Sara noticed Kandros, busy with talking with an agent. He caught her eye, gave her a small nod of acknowledgment which she returned, before he moved his attention back to his conversation. Glancing around, Sara noticed a group of scientists who, if their body language was anything to go by, were definitely arguing with one another about something. Sid, Vetra's sister, was around too. It was always nice to see her. Sara made a quick mental note to check in on her when her business with Kesh was finished.

She turned, and was about to head up the steps towards Kesh’s office, when she heard someone call out "Pathfinder!" Sara was about to turn back to see who had called when the person, a Salarian, darted straight past her and towards someone else. Another Salarian.

Raeka.

If it wasn't for the shock and sudden panic of seeing the exact person she had hoped to avoid, Sara would've sworn loudly and cursed her luck. Instead, she froze. Standing still like a dear caught in headlights.

She was lucky in a way though, since Raeka hadn't noticed her. And she'd worn her hoodie instead of her jacket today - she could pull the hood up, run over to Tiran and hide out there until it was safe. Though, she wasn't entirely sure what 'safe' was exactly. Especially since she still definitely needed to see Kesh and leaving before that wouldn't be a good idea.

Maybe she could get Tiran to distract Raeka long enough for her to sneak past?

Just as she moved to pull her hood up to cover herself, she heard the one voice she really didn't want to hear shouting the one thing she hadn't wanted to hear from it. "Ryder!"

She could pretend she didn't hear anything and sprint to the trams as fast as possible, but that wasn't something she could bring herself to do now. Raeka knew she was here, she had called out to her, and Sara had to go.

With every ounce of strength she had, she walked towards the Salarian pathfinder. The woman whom she had grown to be good friends with, whom she had fallen for so quickly and gotten so caught up in. Sara could have screamed, but it didn't seem to be an appropriate response. Not a strong enough way to really let her feelings out right now.

"H-hey Raeka," she greeted meekly as she crossed the space between them, looking up into her big, gentle eyes. It was a mistake, of course, since Sara's heart started beating even faster than it already was. In fact, it could have stopped. She'd died twice already, she wasn't putting it past herself to die again.

This was definitely a situation she could see herself dying in, too.

"I haven't seen you for a while. How are you? Is your job going well?" Raeka asked her in her quick yet gentle voice: the voice that made her knees turn to jelly.

"Yeah... yeah it is. Just... doing stuff. Pathfinder stuff, you know? Of course you know, you're a pathfinder! What am I talking about?" Sara quickly shut up before she started rambling even more, cursing herself for being so awkward around people she liked.

If Raeka was confused, or put off, she didn't show it. "Oh, well that's good. It's just been unusual not talking with you, but you must've been busy. Congratulations on getting the Asari ark back, by the way. I met Sarissa and she's... interesting. I'll need to talk to her a bit more to formulate an opinion, but she seems to be good at her job."

"She is, it's why I kept her as pathfinder," Sara agreed. This was good. Easy. It was work talk and she could do work talk.

"How have you been otherwise? How's your crew?" Raeka asked and Sara felt worried again. This wasn't work talk and Sara felt herself freeze a little, seizing up in panic. She could do this, _she_ _could_ _do this_.

"Oh good, good. Really good. Bringing back the Asari ark has them more hopeful. Everyone more hopeful." _Nailed it._

"Sometimes all you need is a little hope," Raeka muttered, and Sara felt her heart squeeze.

This wasn't good for her health at all. She could already hear Lexi complaining at her to stop getting herself into stressful situations. Then again, Lexi had also told her that she needed to tell Raeka how she felt. This was pretty much a lose-lose situation. "Ha-ha yeah, that’s true. Really true. It'll really help someone out. You know, talking about hope, I need to speak to Kesh about a mission. Spread some hope over on that way." She pointed behind herself, to where she vaguely assumed Kesh's office was, but she was a bit too distracted to know for sure. "Nice talking to you Raeka!"

Just as Sara started to turn around, ready to retreat with her tail between her legs and cry her eyes out in the privacy of Kesh's office, Raeka caught her shoulder. "Are you okay, Ryder?" she inquired, her voice so damn gentle and tender and worried. Sara paused.

" _ME_? Oh, I'm completely okay. Better than okay, actually. I should just really, y'know, go see Kesh." She made no effort to move though, Raeka's large eyes had captured her own and there was a look in them that froze her in place. Fear? Concern? Sara couldn't place it, but it seemed almost vulnerable and she knew that she didn't want to see that look on Raeka anymore.

"You've been brushing me off pretty quickly lately, I haven't done something have I?" Raeka's voice grew a little quieter, a little hurt and scared and it made any other excuses die before they'd had time to come to Sara. Raeka thought she'd done something wrong; that she was the problem. Ryder felt her heart swell again - it really needed to stop doing that - and held her arms out towards her, placing them on her shoulders. She wouldn't run away, her crew were right. She needed to tell Raeka before she ruined any chance they had of at least being friends.

"No, no Raeka. It... I... I-kinda-really-like-you-and-it's-hard-talking-to-you-because-it's-silly-to-think-you'd-like-me-too," she rushed, getting it all out in the open and for a second hoping maybe Raeka wouldn't catch all of it.

That was a stupid hope of course, Raeka was a Salarian so of course she'd catch all of it. A look of realisation passed over Raeka. "Wait. Ryder, your unusual behaviour is because you like me?"

Sara could hardly breathe, and no longer trusted her voice, so simply nodded quickly.

She wasn't sure exactly what she'd expected. Maybe for her to lightly turn her down, a 'thanks but I don't like you that way' or maybe for her to get annoyed, though Raeka didn't seem the type.

Instead she laughed. But it wasn't a cruel laugh, no, more a relieved one. "Sara… that was the problem? Really? You could have said something sooner, Salarian lives aren't exactly the longest."

"Wait, what-"

Raeka placed a hand on either side of Sara's face, holding her there so that their eyes interlocked. "I like you too, Sara," she murmured, loud enough so that Sara could hear over the noise of operations but soft enough to contain the utmost honesty and truth in her words.

Disbelief washed over her at Raeka's words. "R-really? But… you're a Salarian!" she exclaimed, incredulous. Sure, Kallo had said it was possible. But he'd also mentioned the possibility was slim. Sara's luck usually didn't last outside the field, outside the mission. This was... strange.

Raeka laughed again. A beautiful, joyful laugh that made Sara's stomach feel fluttery. "I've never been a very good Salarian. If I was, I wouldn't be the Salarian pathfinder in the first place."

Sara couldn't argue with that fact at all, and in her utter joy, she pulled Raeka down, an arm around her neck and a hand hooked on her armour, to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. It was only quick, nothing over the top. Sara didn't want over the top. She wanted love, support and a woman who was as caring as she was dangerous. She just wanted to be with Raeka.

Sara was pretty sure she'd be content just wrapped up in Raeka’s arms forever.

"So, will you stop brushing me off now?" Raeka asked, amused, as Sara held onto her; their foreheads pressed together. Raeka's arms had come to rest around Sara's waist. It was comfortable.

It was perfect.

Sara chuckled, an elated noise. "Maybe. I really do need to speak to Kesh though." Even if she didn't want to, she had important information about Spender she had to go over with her.

"Already leaving me for another woman?" Raeka asked her, making Sara laugh a little louder.

She kissed her again, planting a soft peck to her cheek this time. Any nerves that had been there before vanished now, chased out by her pure joy. "I'll come by the pathfinder quarters when I'm done, okay? Maybe we can go for a drink and catch up on what's happened since I started pretty much avoiding you."

Raeka wrapped her arms around Sara even tighter, strong enough to let Sara know how happy she was too. "You'd better, pathfinder."

"Don't worry, I certainly will, Pathfinder," Sara replied, the biggest grin on her face as she reluctantly pulled away and headed towards Kesh's office. Raeka watched her go, she could feel those beautiful eyes on her as she walked away. Sara was overjoyed, even if she was a little embarrassed at how it had all gone down. Though overall, it definitely could have gone worse.

She smiled to herself, thinking of that joke everyone had made. '’Pathfind’ a way to her heart'.

 _Well_ , Sara thought to herself as she shot a quick look back towards where Raeka stood smiling at her, _Pathfound_.

**Author's Note:**

> I am honestly trash.


End file.
